‘Dune: Part Two’ Makes Good on the Promise of the First

The first Dune ended with Zendaya‘s Chani saying, “This is only the beginning”, which frustrated and excited viewers in equal measure as a promise of what could come if the film was financially successful enough for a sequel to get the green light.

Thankfully, despite a same-day release to the formerly known HBO Max, audiences were hungry enough for space worms to ensure a successful theatrical run to Dune: Part One, which allowed the reality for a sequel that has had a troubled road to release with multiple delays. Having now seen the film in glorious IMAX format, and being almost certain it will not be delayed once more before its release later this week (I’m still unwilling to remove the word “almost” before the word “certain” in this sentence because every business decision made at the hands of Warner Discovery’s CEO David Zaslav has led me to the conclusion he is a giant fucking idiot), I can confirm that Dune: Part Two makes good on the promise of those words with a truly awe-inspiring, challenging, and epic display of blockbuster filmmaking.

Dune: Part Two picks up following the events of the first film. Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) and Lady Jessica (an awesome Rebecca Ferguson) seek a place among Chani (Zendaya) and the Freman after the fall of their house at the hands of the Harkonnens. The war for the liberation of Arrakis between the indigenous Freman and the occupying Harkonnens wages on, but within the Freman, conflict arises surrounding the arrival of Paul and a prophecy of a messiah who will lead the Freman to deliverance from their enemies and free the planet of Arrakis from its colonizing forces.

Much like the first film, Dune: Part Two is overwhelming on a visual level. Greig Fraser returns as cinematographer, and throughout, there are truly dazzling images. This is a film that feels BIG and expensive, and it’s easily one of the best-looking big-budget films ever made, but none of this is all that surprising if you watched the first film. Coupled with those grand visuals is extraordinary production design by Patrice Vermette (also returning from the first film). The sets of this film are basically everything you could want from a film of this scale, and in a time where major blockbuster films often feel like actors are standing alone in a room surrounded by green screen (oftentimes sharing dialogue in scenes with other actors who find themselves in their own solitary green room), it’s amazing to watch a large-scale film that feels like a massive cast and crew went to a physical place and shot a thing together. It’s not that this film isn’t full to the brim of visual effects, it is — and they look great. It’s the fact that the film’s locations look and feel real which is more than I can say for the vast majority of modern-era blockbuster films.

To continue my acclaim for the technical wizardry, the sound design is awesome. This is an incredibly loud movie, but like the visuals, the sound of this film immerses you into this world. There is a climactic action sequence that features no music and allows the amazing sound design to take center stage and the impact of the scene is maximized: you feel every blow in such a visceral way. I will also mention the score by Hans Zimmer is as epic as the first and pairs beautifully with the massive scope of the visuals. While some viewers might find the music abrasive, I think it perfectly fits a film of this scale and I appreciate its unique sound.

As far as performances go, I think this film is even more impressive than the first. Timothée Chalamet is excellent as Paul Atreides in what is truly a complex role. It takes a truly skilled actor to pull off what this film needs him to do which is essentially an inversion of the hero’s journey that also flips the white savior trope on its head, but Chalamet is a worthy actor who is more than up to the task. The real surprise of this film for me was Zendaya as Chani. I haven’t personally been completely sold on Zendaya before watching this film; now, I see she is incredibly talented and a nuanced performer who I hope gets to work with more great filmmakers who are capable of bringing out her skills as an actress. Chani is the stealth hero of the film, and Zendaya completely sells the emotional beats of the film.

This brings me to my big flaw with Dune: Part Two: the relationship between Paul and Chani is underdeveloped. This is a long film, but I would have been happy with an even longer length if it meant we would be more emotionally invested in the connection these two characters have. It sort of just happens, and then we are supposed to feel something, and I just never really did. I think the ending would be even more impactful if the film had given us just a little bit more here. However, I think the arc of the two lead characters is tragic and effective despite this and once again, I think it’s exciting how this film is willing to be super dark and frame who you suspect is the hero as maybe someone more sinister.

From the moment Denis Villeneuve was announced as the filmmaker helming these films, it was clear this story was in totally capable hands. With this sequel, Villeneuve displays he has a firm and confident understanding of Frank Herbert’s text. The visuals of this film are truly grand and breathtaking (and should be seen on the largest screen possible), but more importantly, the thematic ground this film walks through is not something we see in modern blockbuster filmmaking. Do not be fooled by Dune: Part Two‘s PG-13 rating: this is an incredibly dark and mature film with an incredibly bleak ending that I’m not entirely sure how general audiences are going to respond to (though the disturbing implications might fly over some viewers’ heads). However, in a time where blockbuster filmmaking is often broad, lazy, and uninspired, it is hard not to get excited when a film like this comes forward from a truly visionary filmmaker.

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